Locking device for rocking chairs



Dec. 14', 1948.

A. J. BELISLE LOCKING DEVICE FOR ROCKING CHAIRS Filed May 22, 1948 INVENTOR.

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Patented Dec. 14, 1948 LOCKING DEVICE FORROGKING CHAIRS Adelard J. Belisle, Springfield; Mass, assignor to The Berkline Corporation, Springfield, Mass, a

corporation Application May 22, 1948, Serial No. 28,558

2 Claims. 1

My invention relates to improvements in rocking chairs and is directed more particularly to devices for locking the rocking part of a chair, such as the seat, in various positions. I The principal object of my invention is directed to "the provision of an apparatus for a rocking chair having a base and a seat rockable therein, which is adapted to lock the seat in various positions or to release the same.

The novel features of my invention make it possible to lock the rocking part of the chair in any position within the limits of its rocking movement whereby the user may utilize the chair for rocking or for reclining all as may be desired.

As a special feature of my invention, the user may operate the apparatus while in the chair and may thereby readily and easily lock or release the rocking part 'without'the necessity of leaving the chair for ,SllCh' purpose.

With the foregoing and various other novel features and advantages and other objects of my invention as will become more apparent as this description proceeds, my' invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in a unique combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed and more fullydescribed and referred to inconnecti'on with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a small scale side elevational View, more or less diagrammatic, of a rocking chair having the ncvel'ieatures of my invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the device of my invention; 7

Fig. 3 is a small scale side elevational view along the line 3-3 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is aplan view of the stop. member of the device. of my invention.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, the invention will .be .fully described.

In Fig. 1, a chair is diagrammaticallyv shown and includes, as in the usual case; a base .2 for resting upon a floor and an upper or seat-part 4 which is associated with the base 2 in any of the well known manners for purposes of rocking forwardly and rearwardly thereon.

The base member 2 normally has opposite side members such as 6 and one or more transverse members :such. as '8 whereas the seat member 4 normally has opposite side members [0 and one or more transverse members such as [2.

It is to be explained that the novel features of my invention are associated with the transin. pivotal relation and has its opposite ends .re-

ceivable in. the opposite sides of the U-shaped portion 20 as shown.

The slide rod 24 is loosely receivable in the openin 22 to permit relative movement thereof. As will shortly be observed, the slide rod is sub..-

ject to various movements and resultant tensionings at or along its upper end portion or its intermediate portion upwardly of the cross pm 25 and in such movements a definite rocking is observed to take place. The slide rod being loose relative .to the bracket, the rocking movement is easily compensated for.

A bracket 26 is similarly secured to the transverse member I2 and it has a forwardly extending flange 3D.

An operating rod has a handle part 32 disposed at one side of a chair and a transverse part 34 which extends inwardly from and through the side member and loosely through an opening 35 in the :ilan-ge 30. v

The end of the member 34 is screw threaded and engages the internal. threads of a slide lock nut 36 which has a bore-3i therethrou-gh for 'slidab-ly receiving the member 24 asshown in Fig. 2.

A slide lock collar 38 is insertable over the nut 36 and is inserted between the member 24 and the outside of the member 30 all as is shown in Fig. 2.

The members 34 and 56 are threaded so that when the member 3-2 is moved in one direction the efiectis to tighten the collar member 38 against the rod member 24 thereby to hold the rod, member securely in position relative thereto-and when themember 32ris moved in an opposite direction the eflect is to loosen the parts 24 and 38 so that the same are movable relative to each other.

On the member 34 on the inside of member 30 there is :a stop member '46. This member is shown in detail in Fig. .5 and has an opening 42 therein. Av key is provided so that whentt'he member M1 is inserted over the member 34, the key is receivable in a keyway in the member 34 (not shown) all for the purpose of insuring that the'stop is non-rotatable on therod, 34. It

will be appreciated, 01 course, that such purpose may be accomplished in other conventional ways.

By swinging the operating member 32 forwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1, the rocking part of the chair is free to rock on the base. By swinging the operating member 32 rearwardly or counterclockwise, the members 24 and 38 are drawn toeach other so that the one frictionally engages the other.

Therefor with the rod 32 in its forward position or in a position clockwise tothe position shown in Fig. 1, the rocking part of the chair is free to rock on the base and in so doing the member 24 moves up and down relative to the rod 34 and the bracket 26.

A primary nut 50 adjacent the member 30 is in 4 and seat members of a rocking chair against relative rocking movement, comprising in combination, a bracket having a plate portion secured to one of the members and a flange portion extending outwardly from the plate portion and having inner and outer sides, a manually engageable threaded actuator oscillatable in the flange portion between locking and unlocking positions, a locking nut at the outer side of the flange portion having a threaded socket operatively receiving one end of said actuator and provided with a slide rod opening therethrough, a primary nut fixed on said actuator for engaging the inner side screw threaded engagement with the threaded end of the member 34 and the stop member 40 is receivable upon the member 34 outwardly of the nut 50 and adjacent thereto.

A secondary nut 52 is in screw threaded engagement with the member 34 on the side of the stop member 40 opposite from the primary nut 55.

A washer 54 is disposed on the member 34 between the stop 40 and the nut 52.

. The nuts 50 and 52 secure the member 40 to the member 34.

The nuts 50 and 52 are tightened in such a manner as to grip firmly the stop therebetween.

The operating member 32 is arranged for oscillatory movement.

As the member 32 is oscillated to the locking position the nut is forced against the inner side of the member 30.

The stop member 40 is provided to abut bracket 26 and to limit the forward movement of the operating lever 32.

The screw threads on the end of the member 34 may take various forms to accomplish the desired result but a double thread has been found to be adapted for the practice of the invention.

A cotter pin is provided on the upper end of member 24 to prevent relative disengagement of the parts 24 and 36.

, Itwill be observed that the locking part of the chair is frictionally held against rocking movements by reason of the novel construction and thereby the rocking part of the chair is locked in any desired position under all ordinary cir- 'cumstances.

As another novel feature of my invention, the member 34 extends loosely through an enlarged opening 8 in the member 8.

A guide plate 60' has an opening therethrough which is snugly received over the member 34. In the assembly of the components of the device of my invention, the member 34 may be accurately positioned relative to the member 8 by the adjustment of the member 60 relative to the member 8 prior to securement thereto by means of screws 62 or the like.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not'as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

-' 1. Apparatus for releasably locking the base the l:

of the flange portion, a slide rod having an end pivotally connected to the other of the members and slidably receivable through the slide rod opening in said locking nut, and a locking collar loosely carried on said locking nut between said slide rod and the outer side of the flange portion for engaging the same, all adapted and arranged whereby as said actuator is oscillated to locking position said primary nut is forced against the inner side of the flange portion and said locking nut is moved axially toward the outer side of the flange portion to cause said collar to be squeezed between said rod and the flange portion so that said slide rod is held by said collar against sliding movements relative to said nut.

2. Apparatus for releasably locking the base and seat members of a rocking chair against relative rocking movements comprising in combination, a bracket having a plate portion secured to one of the members and a flange portion extending outwardly from the plate portion and having inner and outer sides, a manually engageable threaded actuator oscillatable in the flange portion between locking and unlocking positions, a locking nut at the outer side of the flange portion having a threaded socket operatively receiving one end of said actuator and provided with a slide rod opening therethrough, a primary nut fixed on said actuator for engaging the inner side ofv the flange portion, a slide rod having an end pivotally connected to the other of the members f and slidably receivable through the slide rod opening in saidlocking nut, and a locking collar loosely carried on said locking nut between said slide rod nd the outer side of the flange portion for engaging the same, all adapted and arranged whereby as said actuator is oscillated to locking position said primary nut is forced against the inner side of the flange portion and said locking nut is moved axially toward the outer side of the flange portion to cause said collar to be squeezed between said rod and the flange portion so that said slide rod is held by said collar against sliding movements relative to' said nut, and stop means carried by said actuator for, engaging the plate portion and limiting oscillatory movement of said actuator to unlocking position.

ADELARD J. BELISLE.

REFERENCES CITED I The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

